Topcon Healthcare Inc. (THI) Partners with Microsoft to Deliver AI-Powered ‘Healthcare from the Eye’ Through a Connected Healthcare Platform
09 Mayo 2024 - 7:05AM
Business Wire
Topcon Healthcare Inc. (THI) announces a partnership with
Microsoft Corporation to deliver AI-powered ‘Healthcare from the
Eye’ solutions to improve healthcare access, cost, and quality. A
cloud-based connected network of healthcare providers using the
Nuance Precision Imaging Network and the THI Harmony platform will
empower patients and healthcare providers to participate in
pre-screening for systemic and neurological disease via a robotic,
rapid, and non-invasive eye scan. “We are committed to making
healthcare accessible and affordable through pre-screening using
oculomics - leveraging the eye for insights into systemic and
neurological health. We call this, ‘Healthcare from the Eye.’ A key
element of this effort is Harmony - a vendor-inclusive, secure,
connected data management platform,” said Ali Tafreshi, CEO &
President of Topcon Healthcare Inc.
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Since establishing the Microsoft collaboration in February of
2024, THI has initiated several projects to drive the mission
forward. A collaboration with the University of California, San
Diego aims to show the value of AI-powered screening and
coordinated care of diabetic patients across primary care,
optometry, and ophthalmology. “‘Healthcare from the Eye’ is no
longer just a concept; it is the future of healthcare,” said Robert
N. Weinreb, MD, Chair and Distinguished Professor of Ophthalmology,
University of California, San Diego.
To accelerate AI research and innovation for ‘Healthcare from
the Eye,’ THI established the Institute for Digital Health (IDHea).
IDHea, a large, secure, population database platform, is governed
by an external data access and governance (DAG) committee to ensure
fair and ethical access to data. IDHea is engaged in multiple
research studies with organizations including Visionworks, Keplr
Vision, and UC San Diego Health Shiley Eye Institute, integrating
Microsoft Azure secure cloud-storage and advanced computing
technologies to ensure data security and protect propriety
algorithms. A proof-of-concept study involving National Vision
Inc., Toku Inc., and BeeKeeperAI demonstrates that Toku’s
AI-powered BioAge algorithm can be securely deployed in a
large-scale clinical setting using BeeKeeperAI’s confidential
computing technology and end-to-end encryption.
AI technology is advancing at an unprecedented rate. Following
best practices and implementing effective policy and safety
measures are critical for successful deployment and containment of
AI solutions. “Microsoft’s expertise in safe computing and AI
provides a significant boost to our vendor-inclusive Harmony
Network as a delivery environment for AI-powered decision support
algorithms,” said Hideyuki Takizawa, Topcon Corporation, Senior
Executive Officer, and Global Managing Director of the Eye Care
Business division.
Additionally, the THI Corporate Venture Capital fund is enabling
‘Healthcare from the Eye’ by investing in science-based AI
innovators. “We are providing these AI partners funding, business
consulting, and the ideal delivery platform to help accelerate
commercialization of their AI solutions for healthcare,” said Fumio
Ohue, SVP of Topcon Corporation and Chairman of THI.
“Microsoft’s healthcare and AI expertise adds a powerful
dimension to Topcon Healthcare’s vision to empower providers with
smart and efficient technologies for enhanced patient care,” said
Peter Durlach, Corporate Vice President, Chief Strategy Officer,
Microsoft Health & Life Sciences. “With Microsoft Azure and the
Precision Imaging Network, we provide the robust and secure cloud
infrastructure essential for developing and deploying real-world
applications at scale, integrated directly into provider workflows
at the point of care.”
About Topcon Healthcare
Inc.
Topcon Healthcare Inc. is part of Topcon Corporation (TSE 7732).
Our vision is to improve access and quality of healthcare while
decreasing the overall cost. To achieve this mission, we have
established Harmony, a platform to accelerate the evolution of
AI-powered algorithms that enable the detection of systemic,
neurological, and ophthalmic disease markers even before
discernable symptoms are present. Topcon Healthcare is investing in
innovators focused on healthcare transformation with an emphasis on
AI-powered digital ‘Healthcare from the Eye.’ This approach helps
doctors to prevent disease and, when needed, to treat at the
earliest disease state for better, less costly outcomes.
A truly global business, Topcon Corporation is focused on
developing solutions to solve societal challenges in the
mega-domains of healthcare, agriculture, and infrastructure. In
healthcare, these challenges include increasing eye disease, rising
medical costs, physician shortages, and unequal access to
healthcare. By investing in value-driven innovations, Topcon
Corporation works to help people enjoy good health and a better
quality of life.
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Leslie Amodei, VP, Marketing for Americas Email:
Lamodei@topcon.com